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ICC Prosecutor to Seek Arrest Warrant for Bashir
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The week shouldn't go by without some acknowledgement of International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo's decision to seek an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir. Bashir, who stands accused of crimes against humanity and genocide, is the first Head of State to be charged by the ICC.
Objections that this will obstruct Darfur peace negotiations are off base, and this report from the ENOUGH Project outlines the reasons why. While the historical examples that the report cites are only partially relevant to the situation in Darfur, the conclusion is on point: the ICC's role only increases the international community's leverage and heightens the pressure on President Bashir to deliver peace.
Perhaps most importantly, the ICC has sent a clear message: not even Heads of State can be assured of impunity when they commit the world's most heinous crimes. Surely some readers will wish there were such accountability for U.S. officials, but ICC friends and foes alike should note that America's effective, independent judiciary makes it virtually impossible for an American to be tried at the Court, and that the international community expects accountability for any abuses to come from within the U.S.
In any case, this is a noteworthy event -- and one more worthy ICC effort that the U.S. should be aiding and not obstructing.
-- Scott Paul
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Reader Comments (9) - post a comment
go to hell ocampo and his court
The host country gov't has to file the complaint, what are the chances that will happen since they sponsor the genocides within in their borders most of the time?
What's to keep the country at wrong from countersuing and claiming the same thing(Turkey/Kuwait)?
Although a good omen for the ICC's operational mecahnism, the ICC has yet to take some bold decisions regarding the cases of genocide and war crimes in the world.
We're not offically under war declaration, are we?
Mission Accomplished?
Lack of adherence to oversight and procedure that accompany actual war prosecution.
Supplemental Appropriations as a regular act?
This should compel Judges to act in ways that force the balance of powers to carry forth fiduciary duty.
Start with the black leaders if possible, see what kind of OAU burnback can occur.
It establishes precedent, that is its importance, even if it is basically a rubber stamp on colonialism, in a diluted form.
Granted there are some major distinctions between leadership groups in Northeast and Central Africa.
The track record of Western intervention there isn't rosy, overall.
Blair would be the easiest target. I would love to see the ICC put that piece of garbage behind bars. And unless they make moves against powerful countries, I will consider this a crock of sh%t. It is so easy to attack any poor country that has problems. But in most cases the big powerful countries are just as responsible for crimes, but have immunity due to their power. Who needs another institution to attack the smallest countries? No one. there are 1,000 international instruments that can do that already. it's power over the powerful that counts.
Plus, the USA is not a signatory to the Rome Statute. England is. Blair should rot in jail. Clearly the "independent judiciary" in Britain doesn't have the independence to prosecute him. Let the ICC prove that it is useful...
"America's effective, independent judiciary makes it virtually impossible for an American to be tried at the Court???!?"
You've got to be kidding! Are we talking about the cowardly judiciary that refuses to challenge Bush on anything having to do with "executive privilege" or the one that refuses to touch anything having to do with "national security issues." The courts have basically granted Bush the right to be above the law except in a handful of cases. Some independent judiciary!
The judiciary is about as independent a branch as Congress, oozing with dittohead Representatives and Senators: http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/07/15/10383/
At least some foreign prosecutors are independent enough to take a whack at administration officials stupid enough to travel abroad.
there will be no accountability in the usa... bush cheney admin have proven it and obamas vote on fisa has put the icing on the cake.... forget about accountability in the usa.... it ain't going to happen..
i wish he would issue an arrest warrant for bush and cheney for the iraqi genocide... that would be some real progress..
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